Teacher, Teacher (Johnny Mathis song)

1958 single by Johnny Mathis

"Teacher, Teacher"

Single by Johnny Mathis
from the album  More Johnny's Greatest Hits
A-side| "All the Time"
Released| March 17, 1958
Recorded| October 31, 1957
Genre| Pop
Length| 2:41
Label| Columbia
Songwriter(s)|

* Robert Allen
* Al Stillman

Producer(s)|

* Al Ham
* Mitch Miller

Johnny Mathis singles chronology
| "Come to Me"
(1957)  | "All the Time" / "Teacher, Teacher"
(1958)  | "A Certain Smile"
(1958)

|
|

Music video
"Teacher, Teacher" on YouTube

"Teacher, Teacher" is a popular song with lyrics by Al Stillman and music by Robert Allen that was recorded by Johnny Mathis in 1958. It charted in or near the top 40 in the US and the UK.

## Background

[edit]

In his 1991 book Popular Music Perspectives: Ideas, Themes, and Patterns, author B. Lee Cooper gives examples of how memorable teachers had been incorporated into popular songs in the 1950s such as "Abigail Beecher" by Freddy Cannon and "Mr. Lee" by The Bobbettes. He notes how "one observes that these and other teachers are memorable not so much for their pedagogical prowess as for their imagined erotic appeal." The Johnny Mathis recording of "Teacher, Teacher" is given as an additional example, citing the lyric, "Make me the teacher's pet".[1]

## Recording and release

[edit]

Johnny Mathis recorded "Teacher, Teacher" on October 31, 1957, with an orchestra conducted by Ray Ellis. It was produced by Al Ham and Mitch Miller[a] and released as a single on March 17, 1958, with the A-side "All the Time".[4]

## Commercial performance

[edit]

At the time of the release of "Teacher, Teacher", Billboard magazine had three pop singles charts: Best Sellers in Stores, Most Played by Jockeys, and Top 100 Sides. "Teacher, Teacher" made its chart debut in the issue dated May 5, 1958, and peaked at number 21 on the Most Played by Jockeys chart, number 30 Best Sellers in Stores and number 43 Top 100 Sides.[5] When it reached number 27 in the UK, it became his first chart hit there.[6]

## Critical reception

[edit]

In their review column, the editors of Cash Box magazine featured the single as their Disk of the Week, which was their equivalent to a letter grade of A for both songs. They described "Teacher, Teacher" as "an excellent side. A rhythmic romantic novelty with a catchy jump beat, a pleasant melody, and a smart lyric."[7] The editors of Billboard described it as "an up-tempo go on a Bob Allen tune."[8]

## Charts

[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Teacher, Teacher"  Chart (1958)  | Peak
position

|

US Top 100 (Billboard)[5] | 43
US Best Sellers in Stores (Billboard)[5] | 30
US Most Played by Jockeys (Billboard)[5] | 21
UK Singles Chart[6] | 27

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Neither the original 45 and 78 rpm singles nor the liner notes for More Johnny's Greatest Hits provided producer credits, but other compilations have. The Essential Johnny Mathis,[2] Gold: A 50th Anniversary Celebration[3] and The Singles[4] acknowledge Mitch Miller as a producer, but The Essential Johnny Mathis also credits Al Ham as a producer on this song.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Cooper 1991, p. 50
2. ^ Columbia Records (2004). The Essential Johnny Mathis (Liner notes). Johnny Mathis. Columbia Records. C2K-63562.
3. ^ Sony BMG (2006). Gold: A 50th Anniversary Celebration (Liner notes). Johnny Mathis. Sony BMG. 82876 88583 2.
4. ^ a b Columbia Records (2015). The Singles (Liner notes). Johnny Mathis. Columbia Records. 88875120552.
5. ^ a b c d Whitburn 2009, p. 628
6. ^ a b "Teacher, Teacher - Johnny Mathis". Official Charts. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
7. ^ "The Cash Box Record Reviews > The Cash Box Disk of the Week > "All the Time"/"Teacher, Teacher"" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. March 29, 1958. p. 8. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
8. ^ "The Billboard's Weekly Tips on Coming Tops > Review Spotlight on … Pop Records > Johnny Mathis – "All the Time"/"Teacher, Teacher"" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 70, no. 12\. March 24, 1958. p. 58\. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved July 3, 2025.+…+Pop+Records+>+Johnny+Mathis+–+"All+the+Time"/"Teacher,+Teacher"&rft.volume=70&rft.issue=12&rft.pages=58&rft.date=1958-03-24&rft.issn=0006-2510&rft_id=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/50s/1958/Billboard%201958-03-23.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Teacher,+Teacher+(Johnny+Mathis+song)" class="Z3988">

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Cooper, B. Lee (1991), Popular Music Perspectives: Ideas, Themes, and Patterns, Bowling Green State University Popular Press, ISBN 0879725052
* Whitburn, Joel (2009), Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 1955-2008, Record Research Inc., ISBN 0898201802

* v
* t
* e

Johnny Mathis

Studio albums|

* Johnny Mathis
* Wonderful, Wonderful
* Warm
* Good Night, Dear Lord
* Swing Softly
* Merry Christmas
* Open Fire, Two Guitars
* Heavenly
* Faithfully
* Johnny's Mood
* The Rhythms and Ballads of Broadway
* I'll Buy You a Star
* Live It Up!
* Rapture
* Johnny
* Sounds of Christmas
* Romantically
* Tender Is the Night
* The Wonderful World of Make Believe
* This Is Love
* Olé
* Broadway
* Love Is Everything
* The Sweetheart Tree
* The Shadow of Your Smile
* So Nice
* Johnny Mathis Sings
* Up, Up and Away
* Love Is Blue
* Those Were the Days
* Love Theme from "Romeo And Juliet" (A Time for Us)
* Give Me Your Love for Christmas
* Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head
* Close to You
* Sings the Music of Bacharach & Kaempfert
* Love Story
* You've Got a Friend
* The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)
* Song Sung Blue
* Me and Mrs. Jones
* Killing Me Softly with Her Song
* I'm Coming Home
* The Heart of a Woman
* When Will I See You Again
* Feelings
* I Only Have Eyes for You
* Mathis Is...
* Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me
* You Light Up My Life
* That's What Friends Are For
* The Best Days of My Life
* Mathis Magic
* Different Kinda Different
* I Love My Lady
* Friends in Love
* A Special Part of Me
* Right from the Heart
* Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis
* The Hollywood Musicals
* Once in a While
* In the Still of the Night
* In a Sentimental Mood: Mathis Sings Ellington
* How Do You Keep the Music Playing?
* All About Love
* Because You Loved Me: The Songs of Diane Warren
* Mathis on Broadway
* The Christmas Album
* Isn't It Romantic: The Standards Album
* A Night to Remember
* Let It Be Me: Mathis in Nashville
* Sending You a Little Christmas
* Johnny Mathis Sings the Great New American Songbook

Compilation albums|

* Johnny's Greatest Hits
* More Johnny's Greatest Hits
* Portrait of Johnny
* Johnny's Newest Hits
* I'll Search My Heart and Other Great Hits
* The Great Years
* People
* The Impossible Dream
* Johnny Mathis' All-Time Greatest Hits
* Johnny Mathis Sings the Great Songs
* The Johnny Mathis Collection
* The Mathis Collection
* Tears and Laughter
* The Best of Johnny Mathis 1975–1980
* The First 25 Years – The Silver Anniversary Album
* Celebration – The Anniversary Album
* 16 Most Requested Songs
* Better Together: The Duet Album
* The Christmas Music of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection
* The Hits of Johnny Mathis
* The Ultimate Hits Collection
* The Essential Johnny Mathis
* The Very Best of Johnny Mathis
* Gold: A 50th Anniversary Christmas Celebration
* Gold: A 50th Anniversary Celebration
* The Ultimate Collection
* The Classic Christmas Album

Live albums|

* Johnny Mathis in Person: Recorded Live at Las Vegas
* Unforgettable – A Musical Tribute to Nat King Cole
* Live

Box sets|

* The Music of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection
* The Complete Global Albums Collection
* The Singles
* The Complete Christmas Collection 1958–2010
* The Voice of Romance: The Columbia Original Album Collection

Singles|

* "Wonderful! Wonderful!"
* "It's Not for Me to Say"
* "Chances Are"
* "The Twelfth of Never"
* "No Love (But Your Love)"
* "Wild Is the Wind"
* "Come to Me"
* "All the Time"
* "Teacher, Teacher"
* "A Certain Smile"
* "Sleigh Ride"
* "Misty"
* "Gina"
* "What Will Mary Say"
* "Beyond the Blue Horizon"
* "Remember When (We Made These Memories)"
* "Love Me Tonight"
* "Odds and Ends"
* "I'm Coming Home"
* "Life Is a Song Worth Singing"
* "When a Child Is Born"
* "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late"
* "You're All I Need to Get By"

Other Songs|

* "Love Never Felt So Good"

Videos|

* Live by Request: Johnny Mathis
* Johnny Mathis: Wonderful, Wonderful!

Related articles|

* Discography
* Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
* Family Ties
* Deniece Williams

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